CONSTITUTION 



AND 



OTHER DOCUMENTS IN RELATION 



TO THE 



STATE IISTOEICAL SOCIETY 



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OF MISSISSIPPI. 

p. 1.^1 M 



JACKSON: 

MISSISSIPPIAN STEAM PRESS PRINT. 

1859. 



State Historical Society, ) 
Jackson, Miss., February 13, 1859. ) 

Sir: At the last session of the Legislature, the organiza- 
tion of a State Historical Society having been effected for 
the purpose of collecting and preserving in a durable 
.form the events and reUcs of the early, as well as 
contemporaneous history of the State, I would call your at- 
tention to the address and appeal of the committee appointed 
by the President, to solicit the co-operation of the citizens 
of this State in carrying out the objects of the Society. 

I need not assure you that we would be pleased to receive 
contributions from you, such as are specified in the address; 
all of which will be carefully preserved in the archives of 
the Society. Yery Respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

BEN. W. SANDERS, 
Cor, Sec'y State Historical Society, 



ORGANIZATION 

OF THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 



At a meeting held in the Representative Chamber of the 
State Capitol, on the 9th of November 1858, for the pur- 
pose of organizing a Historical Society for the State, 

On motion, Col. B. L. C. Wailes was called to the Chair, 
and V. W. Thompson appointed Secretary. 

On motion of Mr. Sanders, it was ordered that the Chair- 
man appoint a committee of three to report the draft of a 
Constitution for the Society^ and 

Messrs. B. W. Sanders, Wm. Carey Ceane, and L. H. 
MiLLiKEN, were appointed said committee. 

And after a conference between the members thereof, Mr. 
Sanders was instructed to report a Constitution, which, 
on motion, was received and adopted, and the members 
present subscribed their names thereto. 

On motion of Mr. Milliken, 

It was ordered that the chairman appoint a committee of 
five to select and recommend a list of officers for the Society, 

Whereupon the Chair appointed Messrs. Milliken, Wm. 
Croes Crane, Dr. Thos. J. Catchings,DeWitt C.Quinn, 
and W. H. Anderson said committee. 

And being so instructed, Mr. Milliken reported the fol- 
lowing list, which being approved, the gentlemen named 
therein, were declared to be the officers of the Society un- 
til the next biennial election, on the second Monday in No- 
vember 1860: 

For President— Col. B. L. C. WAILES. 

1st Vice President— Rey. Wm. Carey Crane. 

2d " " Hon. W. S. Barry. 

3d *' '* Hon. Isaac N. Dayis. 

4th " " Hon. Jno. J. PIjttus. 

5th " « Hon. D. W. Hurst. 

Recording Secretary — L. Mimms, Esq. 

Corresponding Secretary and Librarian — B. W. Sanders, 

Treasurer — Wirt Adams, Esq. 



6 

Executive Committee — Hons. C. P. Smith, E. Barksdale, 
Thos. J. Catchings, George S. Yerger, H. T. Ellett. 

On motion it was ordered, 

That Rev. Wm. Croes Crane, Rev. L. H. Milliken, and 
Thos. J. Wharton, Esq., be appointed a committee to pre- 
pare an address to the people of the State, soliciting their 
co-operation with objects of the Society. 

In compliance with the requirements of the Constitution, 
the President appointed the Rev. Wm. Carey Crane to de- 
liver an address, and the Hon. C. P. Smith and Col. J. F. 
H. Claiborne to contribute essays on the history of the 
State at the next stated meeting of the Society. 

On motion of Dr. Catchings, it was 

Resolved, That the Executive Committee during the re- 
cess be requested to correspond in relation to the objects of 
the Society, with such persons as they may deem expedient 
and proper, and that they be authorized in the mean time 
to make arrangements for printing, and to cause to be pub- 
lished such portions of the contributions which may be made 
to them as they may deem of historic value, and to lay such 
correspondence before the Society at next meeting. 

The draft of a charter being submitted and approved, on 
motion, it was 

Resolved, That the President appoint a committee of three 
to procure the passage of an act of incorporation. 

Whereupon, Dr. Catchings, Hon. Beverly Matthews, 
and Col. J. H. Horne, were appointed said committee. 

On motion, it was ordered that the proceedings of this 
meeting be published in the papers of this city, and that 
such others in the State as are favorable to the objects of the 
Society be requested to copy the same. 

On motion, the Society then adjourned until the next 
stated meeting. 

B. L. C. WAILES, President. 

Victor W. Thompson, Secretary. 



AN APPEAL IN BEHALF OP THE STATE HIS- 
TORICAL SOCIETY. 



A Society bearing the above title was organized in this 
city on the 9th ult., and the undersigned were appointed a 
committee to address the people of the State in explanation 
of its plans and objects, and to solicit their co-operation in 
the important work which has thus been undertaken. 

Indifference in regard to their past history is a reproach 
to any people. It argues either that they are ashamed of 
their antecedents, or unmindful of their ancestors. That 
they have no memories of the past worth cherishing; or else 
no hearts to feel, and no manliness to avow and perpetuate 
their debt of gratitude to the men of toil, and valor, and 
self-denial, who now rest from the labors whereby their pos- 
terity has been so greatly benefited. 

As Mississippians, we have, apart from our common heri- 
tage in the great Republic, a history of our own, replete 
with interest and instruction ; and among the fathers of our 
State were men whose names and characters may well be 
dwelt upon with patriotic pride. Nor can we accept the 
alternative, that those who are now reaping where they 
once sowed, those who are the favored occupants of the fair 
land, which they explored and settled, when it was yet a wil- 
derness, are a thankless race, or forgetful of those to whom 
they owe their goodly heritage. 

It is not in Mississippi that State feeling and State pride 
are wanting. It is not here that men who have served us 
faithfully are forgotten because they are dead. No ! the hearts 
of our people are true, and their memories faithful; and we 
are well assured they only need to be reminded that what 
is engraven in the memories and the hearts of the present 
generation, should have also a permanent record for gener- 
ations yet unborn. There may have been neglect, but not 
indifference; and now that the opportunity is offered them 
of discharging this sacred duty, the earnest appeal that the 
materials which elucidate our early history may not be suf- 
fered to perish, but be gathered and garnered with filial 
care, will not be in vain. Let us, fellow-citizens, preserve 
from oblivion now while we may, the names and deeds of 
the hardy pioneers who laid the foundation of our noble 
State, and of all those who by their wisdom and their valor 



8 

have since contributed to its welfare and renown. Already 
much has been lost. The first settlers are all gone, and 
their immediate descendants are rapidly passing away. Un- 
less they are now secured, the authentic history of the State 
will soon be beyond our reach. The mementoes of the In- 
dian occupants of our soil are scattered over the whole State 
with none to gather them. The extinct Natchez tribe has 
come to be regarded as almost a myth. The notices of Eu- 
ropean explorations, commencing with DeSoto's in 1542, and 
of European settlements, commencing with LaSalle in 1681, 
are very obscure. The influence of the French and Spanish 
regimes upon our early history is almost unknown, and the 
very annals of our territorial government are in danger of 
being lost. 

Is it not then time, high time, that this work should be en- 
tered upon and prosecuted with the utmost vigor? Should 
not all who can, lend us their aid in collecting interesting 
facts derived from original and authentic sources — thus con- 
tributing to our history what else will remain unwritten. 
And while we offer a safe depository for whatever relates 
to the olden men and the olden times, as well as to contem- 
poraneous history, may we not hope that a spirit of research 
will be awakened throughout our borders, which will leave 
as little as possible of the origin and progress of this State 
to future conjecture. States much younger than our own, 
and far inferior to ours in historic interest, have already 
made great advancement in this work. Wisconsin in par- 
ticular, though as a State thirty-one years younger than 
Mississippi, has set us an example of enlightened and patri- 
otic interest well worthy of our imitation. Her Legislature 
has had the wisdom and liberality to make an annual ap- 
propriation to her Historical Society, through which great 
and lasting benefits have already been secured. In three 
years the Society has collected a valuable historic library 
of 3,000 volumes, exclusive of a greater number of pamph- 
lets, with many unbound documents and files of newspapers 
and periodicals — to say nothing of its cabinet, and the gal- 
lery of portraits of its pioneers, and early public men. The 
Society also publishes annually, a large volume of valuable 
reports and collections. 

We invoke our fellow-citizens to aid us in doing likewise; 
we cordially invite them to],become members of the Society, 
by the annual payment of one dollar, or life members by the 
single payment of twenty dollars. We ask for contribu- 
tions and endowments; indeed, for whatever may facilitate 



the purposes of our organization, and perpetuate tlie honor- 
able memories of the past. 

The particular objects of collection desired by the Socie- 
ty are as follows : 

1. Manuscript statements and narratives of pioneer set- 
tlers — old letters and journals relative to the early history 
and settlement of Mississippi; biographical notices of emi- 
nent citizens, deceased; and facts illustrative of our Indian 
tribes, their history, characteristics, sketches of their promi- 
nent ehiefs, orators and warriors, together with contribu- 
tions of Indian implements, dress ornaments and curiosities. 

2. Files of newspapers, books, pamphlets, college cata- 
logues, minutes of ecclesiastical conventions, conferences and 
synods, and other publications relating to this State, and to 
the territory of which it once formed a part. 

3. Drawings and descriptions of our ancient mounds and 
fortifications, their size, representation and locality, togeth- 
er with information respecting any ancient coins or other 
curiosities found in Mississippi. 

4. Indian geographical names of streams and localities in 
this State, with their signification. 

5. Books of all kinds, and especially such as relate to 
American history, travels, and biography in general, and 
the Southwest in particular, family genealogies, old maga- 
zines, pamphlets, maps, historical manuscripts, autoirraphs 
of distinguished names, coins, medals, portraits, statuary and 
engravings. 

6. We solicit from historical societies and other learned 
bodies, that interchange of books and other materials by 
which the usefulness of institutions like this are essentially 
enhanced. 

7. The Society particularly begs the favor and compli- 
ment of authors and publishers to present, with their auto- 
graphs, copies of their respective works for its library. 

8. Editors and publishers of newspapers, magazines and 
reviews, will confer a lasting favor on the Society by con- 
tributing their publications regularly for its library ; or at 
least such numbers as may contain articles bearing upon 



10 

Mississippi history, biography, geography or antiquities, all 
of which will be carefully preserved for binding. 

Wm. croes ceane, 
l. h. milliken, 
thomas j. wharton. 

Jackson, Nov. 26, 1858. 

N. B. — Subscriptions and donations of money should be 
forwarded to Wirt Adams, Esq., Treasurer, Jackson, 

Any articles designed for the society may be sent directly 
to the Corresponding Secretary and Librarian, B. W. San- 
ders Esq., Jackson. 



CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE HISTORICAL 

SOCIETY. 



The subscribers, convened at the city of Jackson, the 9th 
of November, A. D. 1858, fully impressed with the necessity 
of an effort to rescue from impending oblivion the perisha- 
ble memorials of the history of our State, and of collecting 
and preserving, for the use of the historian, the materials 
which yet exist, in desultory and fugitive publications, or 
the more precarious form of manuscript, or which have been 
transmitted by tradition, do hereby constitute themselves 
an association to be known as the "Historical Society op 
Mississippi," and do ordain and adopt the following as a 
Constitution for their government : 

Article 1. This Society shall be established at the city 
of Jackson, and its officers shall consist of a President, five 
Vice Presidents, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding 
Secretary, a Librarian, and a Treasurer, to be chosen bien- 
nially by the members of the Society present at the stated 
meeting in November in each alternate year, and who shall 
hold their offices, and perform the duties pertaining thereto, 
until their successors shall be elected. 

Art. 2. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at 
all the meetings of the Society, to appoint all committees 
not otherwise provided for, to cause all laws or orders of 
the Society to be executed, and to promote as far as practi- 
cable, the welfare and interests of the Association. It shall 
also be his duty at thp first stated meeting succeeding his 
election to deliver an inaugural address, and at each regu- 
lar meeting he shall appoint one or more members of the 
Society to deliver addresses or to contribute essays relating 
to the history of the State. . 

Art. 8. In the absence of the President, the Senior Vice 
President, present, shall preside in his stead, and in case the 
office shall become vacant by death or resignation, he shall 
perform the duties of presiding officer until the next regular 
election by the Society. In the absence of both the Presi- 
dent and Vice Presidents, the Society shall, at each meeting, 
appoint a Chairman pro tem. 

Art. 4. It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary 
to provide a substantial and well bound book, in which 
this Constitution shall be transcribed, and the mmutes 
of the proceedings of the Society shall be carefully and ac- 
curately recorded. 



12 

Art. 5. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secre- 
tary to conduct all the correspondence under the direction 
of the Society, and to preserve full and correct copies of all 
letter's written or received by him, in a suitable Letter Book 
to be kept by him for that purpose. 

Art. 6. It shall be the duty of the Librarian to take 
charge of and protect the apartment or building which may 
be provided for the meeting of the Society, and to preserve 
therein all books, papers, memoirs, maps and manuscripts 
contributed to and belonging to said Society, and to keep a 
catalogue thereof, and a list of all donations or contribu- 
tions to the Association ; and the duties of Corresponding 
Secretary and Librarian may be performed by the same 
person. 

Art. 7. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect 
all dues and receive all contributions to the Society, and to 
preserve the same for its use, and to pay all orders drav^^n 
on him by the authority of the Society. He shall keep a 
strict and business-like account of all receipts and disburse- 
ments, and shall make a full and clear report of the same, 
at the stated semi-annual meetings, or whenever required by 
the Society. 

Art. 8. The Minutes, Letter-Book, Treasurer's accounts 
and the Library shall at all times be open to the inspection 
of the members of the Society. 

Art. 9. There shall be one stated meeting of the Socie- 
ty in each year, to wit : on the second Monday of November, 
and the President may call a special meeting, by giving 
thirty days notice, in the paper published by the printer of 
the State in Jackson, whenever, in hi^ opinion, the interests 
of tlie Society shall require it, or whenever requested to do 
so in writing by five members thereof. 

Art. 10. Twelve members shall constitute a quorum to 
do business, and new members may be proposed and elected 
at any stated meeting at which a quorum shall be present, 
but five dissenting votes shall be sufficient to exclude any 
person put in nomination. 

Each member of the Society shall pay annually to the 
Treasurer for the use of the Society the sum of one dollar, 
and the payment of twenty dollars shall constitute a mem- 
ber for life. 

Art. 11. The Society may, at any regular stated meeting, 
elect honorary and corresponding members who shall not 
be required to make any pecuniary contribution, and who 
shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting at which they 



13 

may be present. This authority shall at all times be cau- 
tiously and prudently exercised, least the honors of the so- 
ciety should come to be undervalued or be unworthily be- 
stowed. 

Art. 12. At the first stated meeting in each year the So- 
ciety shall appoint an Executive Committee, to consist of 
five members, vrho shall meet monthly, and discharge such 
duties as the Society may assign to them during its recess, 
and they shall act also as a Committee of Publication, and 
no memoir, essay or contribution to the history of the State, 
shall be published as having the sanction of the Society, un- 
less submitted to the examination of the said Committee and 
approved by it. 

Art. 13. This Constitution may be altered and amended 
whenever the Society may deem it necessary ; Provided that 
no alteration shall be made without the concurrence of two- 
thirds ef the members present at two consecutive meetings 
thereof. 

B. L. C. WAILES, 
VICTOR W. THOMPSON, 
WM. CAREY CRANE, 
L. H. MILLIKEN, 
D. S. SNODGRASS, 
D. E. BURNS, 
DeWITT C. QUINN, 
JOHN S. CLARK, 
A. C. CAPERTON, 
BEN. W. SANDERS, 
WM. CROES CRAME, 
W. H. ANDERSON, 
THOS. J. CATCHINGS. 



CHARTER OF THE STATE HISTORICAL 
SOCIETY. 



an act to be entitled an act to incorporate the 

State Historical Society. 

Whereas, it is desirable to collect, preserve, and perpet- 
uate by publication or otherwise, the scattered and perisha- 
ble memorials, both written and traditional, of our social 
and political history, and whereas, this office can be per- 
formed most efficiently and accurately by an association of 
individuals, whose attainments, pursuits and opportunities, 
afford the greatest facilities for the accomplishment of this 
object, therefore. 

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Slate of 
Mississippi, That B. L. C. Wailes, Wm. Carey Crane, W. 
S. Barry, I. N. Davis, John J. Pettus, D. W. Hurst, L. 
Mimms, B. W. Sanders, Wirt Adams, C. P. Smith, E. Barks- 
dale, Thos. J. Catchings, Geo. S. Yerger, H. T. Ellett, L. 
H. Milliken, D. S. Snodgrass, D. E. Burns, DeWitt C. Quinn, 
John S. Clark, A. C. Caperton, Wm. Croes Crane, Wm. 
H. Anderson, Beverly Matthews, John H. Home, V. W. 
Thompson, and F. A. P. Bernard, be, and they are hereby 
constituted a body corporate and politic, under the name 
and style of the Historical Society of Mississippi, and they 
and their associates, and successors who may hereafter be 
duly elected members of said Society, shall be capable inlaw 
to do and perform all things incident to bodies corporate, 
both in law and equity, and to receive donations and hold 
real estate, to the value not exceeding fifty thousand dollars. 

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said Society shall 
form and establish a Constitution and by-laws for its gov- 
ernment, and may alter and amend the same whenever it 
may be deemed necessary and expedient. 

HOUSE AMENDMENT. 

Be it further enacted, That the small apartment adjoining 
the Library on the south, be set apart and appropriated for 
the use of said Society, and that said room be fitted up for 
the purpose by the State Librarian, under the direction of 
the Governor. 

SENATE CONTINUED. 

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the officers and com- 
mittees of the Society, under the direction and supervision 
of the Secretary of State, shall have free access to the pub- 
lic archives, for the purpose of making extracts or compila- 



L8JL '04 



15 

tions therefrom, and may publish the same from time to time 
in the journal of their transactions, or otherwise, as the So- 
ciety shall direct. 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That this act shall take ef- 
fect and be in force from and after its passage. 

Approved November 17, 1858. 



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